1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever-actuated connector, and more particularly to an electric connector of the lever-actuated type in which a terminal-accommodating connector housing (hereafter sometimes simply called "connector") is mated with another terminal-accommodating connector housing (hereafter sometimes called "mating connector") by operation of a lever pivoted thereon.
2. Related Art
FIG. 5 shows such a lever-actuated connector. This lever-actuated connector has a male connector (housing) 1, a lever 2 rotatably mounted to the male connector 1, and a female connector (housing) 3 to be mated with the male connector 1.
The male connector 1 has terminal accommodation chambers 4 provided therethrough in an insertion direction relative to the female connector 3, for accommodation of female terminals (not shown). A pair of ribs 6 laterally protrude at front edges of both side surfaces 5 of the male connector 1, with an even height to the side surfaces 5. A pair of bosses 7 protrude from the side surfaces 5 each to serve as a pivot for the lever 2 to be rotatable thereabout.
The lever 2 is made up by a pair of left and right flat arms 8, and an operation part 9 as a shoulder interconnecting both arms 8 at their rear ends. The bosses 7 are inserted into central parts of the arms 8. At front ends of the arms 8, there are integrally formed protruding parts 10 to be loose-engaged in slots 6a of the ribs 6, whereby the arms 8 are kept from laterally opening. The arms 8 of the lever 2 are formed with lateral protrusions 11 in their front parts, each for engagement with a step 14B in the female connector 3. When the operation part 9 is pressed down, the lever arms 8 rotate counterclockwise about the bosses 7, together with the protrusions 11 pushing up the steps 14B at both sides, causing the female connector 3 to mate on the male connector 1, with the arms 8 inserted therebetween.
The female connector 3 is provided with a hood 12, which is shown in FIG. 5. The hood 12 is open at the top, and matable on combination of the male connector 1 and the lever 2. To accommodate the combination, the hood 12 has therein, along both side walls thereof, a pair of straight grooves 13 formed at front ends of the side walls for guiding the ribs 6 of the male connector 1, and a pair of stepped grooves 14A provided in front halves of the side walls to accept or receive the protrusions 11 of the lever arms 2 to be movable in unison with rotation of the lever 2. Each stepped groove 14A provides the step 14B as a rectangular overhung to be engaged with an upper edge of the protrusion 11 as in FIG. 7.
For the mating, the male connector 1 is inserted into the hood 12 to a depth, where the protrusions 11 of the lever arms 8 face groove regions under the steps 14B. As the lever 2 is pressed to rotate, the protrusions 11 engage with the steps 14B. As the lever 2 is additionally pressed, each engaging protrusion 11 pushes the hood 12 upwardly, contacting therewith at a point. In other words, the lever arms 8 push the male connector 1 downwardly, apparently swinging about the contact points, which then serve as fulcrums.
The lever-actuated connector has a significant number of terminals. The male connector 1 as well as the hood 12 becomes long and narrow, with increase in number of associated electric wires, accompanying reduced dimensional accuracy.
The steps 14B and engaging protrusions 11 are frontwardly offset. As the engaging protrusions hare slid within the stepped grooves 14A, the male connector 1 is subjected to sliding resistance and binding, and tends to tilt relative to the hood 12, as shown in FIG. 6. With the tilting, the protrusions 11 may fail to catch on the steps 14B which are perpendicular to the mating direction and have a smaller depth than wall thickness of the hood 12. As the lever 2 is rotated, failed engagement causes either protrusion 11 to invade between the walls of the hood 12 and lever arm 8, resulting in an improper or incomplete mating.